How to Install a Security Camera System for a House

The idea of drilling holes through the walls of your house to run video and power cables for a security camera system might seem daunting, but many security systems come in all-included packages that make setting up your surveillance system a breeze. Read on for guidance on buying and installing your own home camera system.

Make a diagram of your surveillance needs. It is both expensive and inefficient to monitor every square inch of your house, so you need to prioritize what areas you want to watch the most. Draw up a rough diagram of your house or print out the blueprints and note where you might want to place cameras. When you are done, check out each location to make sure it is not blocked by anything and provides the best view possible. You may want cameras for:

Buy the right package to suit your needs. You can buy each piece individually, but it is generally cheaper and easier to buy bundled security systems. At a minimum your system should have 1-3 cameras, a DVR (digital video recorder), appropriate wiring (siamese and BNC cables), and power cords. Unless you are choosing to monitor a large area, wireless cameras with wall mounting should cover your needs.

Basic Home Security: Get a package with 2-3 outdoor cameras (to monitor doors), and a DVR with at least 3 days of recording time.

Monitoring Valuables/Young Children: 1-3 indoor wireless cameras can cover a small room effectively and stream the footage right to your computer.

Alternatively, buy your cameras individually. Once you know how many cameras you need, you'll need to think about what specific cameras you want. A home surveillance system can cost anywhere from a few hundred dollars to well over a thousand, so make sure you consider the type of cameras you need before buying -- the features below should be clearly labeled on the box. While you can buy all of the parts separately, buying a full "surveillance set" is usually cheaper and easier to install.

Wireless vs. Wired: Wireless cameras are easy to set-up without drilling or running cables through your house, but the quality can be sub-par the further they get away from the receiver. If you are covering a big area, go wired, but most houses find wireless and easier set-up process.

Indoor or Outdoor: Cameras that are not made to be placed outside will quickly break when exposed to rain and humidity, so be sure to choose accordingly.

Motion Sensing: Some cameras will only record when they notice motion, saving lots of space and energy while only capturing footage when someone is in the room.

Remote Viewing: Many high-end cameras offer the ability to stream their footage to your phone or laptop anywhere in the world, making it possible to check out your house through a provided program or app.[2]

Set up a recording device and monitor. In order to store and view your footage, you need a Digital Video Recorder (DVR). This device receives all of the video feeds and broadcasts them onto a monitor, usually a computer screen or small TV. DVRs have a variety of memory capacities that allow them to store a certain amount of video, from hundreds of hours to one day's worth of footage.

If you buy a complete surveillance set the DVR is usually included with the camera.

Network Video Recorders (NVR) and analog recorders (VCRs), also available for purchase, work the same way as a DVR, using an internet signal (NVR) or blank tapes (VCR) to record instead of a digital hard-drive. The following installation tips will work here as well.

Choose a high, broad angle for your camera. The best angle of any room is usually looking down from the corner where the ceiling meets the walls. Make sure you can clearly see all entries and exits and that the camera is near a power outlet.

If you are mounting a camera outside, place it above 10ft so that it cannot be easily knocked down.[4]

Mount your camera to the wall. Some cameras come with sticky pads to adhere your camera to the wall, but screwing your camera in is the safest way to mount your cameras long-term. While every camera is different, most of them can be mounted the same way:

Attach your camera to a power source. Almost all cameras come with a power adapter that plugs into a normal wall socket. Plug the small, round end into the power input on the back of the camera and plug the other end into the outlet.

If your power adapter is missing or broken, contact your manufacturer.

Attach a wired camera to your DVR. Surveillance equipment is connected using a BNC (Bayonet Neill–Concelman) connection. BNC cables are simple to use -- they are identical on both sides and you simply plug them into the appropriate port, turning a small nut on the end to lock it in place. Plug one end into your camera's "Output" and the other into one of the DVR "Input" ports.

Note which input you plug into -- this is the input your DVR must be set to in order to view your camera's video.

If your cable does not have a BNC connection you can buy a simple BNC adapter online or at a hardware store. This will slip onto the end of your cable to make it BNC compatible.[6]

Attach the monitor to the DVR. This connection frequently uses a BNC cable as well, but some DVR's can attach with HDMI cables or coaxial cables. Using your preferred connection, attach one end to the DVR's "Output" port and the other to the monitor's "Input."

You can hook up as many cameras as your DVR has inputs -- it will automatically record every camera you install.

Note which input you plug into-- this is the input you need to choose to see your cameras.

Troubleshoot any connection issues. Check that the camera, DVR, and monitor are all hooked up to a power supply and turned on. Make sure your cables are securely attached and that you have selected the right inputs for your DVR and monitor. Some monitors will display every camera at the same time, others have "input" buttons that allow you to switch between cameras.

Create a central "surveillance hub." When you are wiring a lot of cameras at once, you'll need one simple place to bring all of the feeds together to your DVR. This should be a place that is easy to access, and where you can comfortably run wires from anywhere in the house. Attics, offices and your internet router all make good places to base your surveillance system.

Use Siamese cables to wire your system effectively. The most common surveillance cable is a Siamese cable, named because it consists of two cables attached together. One is for power, and the other is for video. This means you will only have to run one wire through your house to set up each camera. The cable is usually sold as RG59 or RG6.[8]

The braided red and black side is for power. Red is positive and black is negative.

The singular, cylindrical cable is for video. Each end will have either a BNC attachment or a coaxial cable.

Use a power supply box to power multiple cameras through one outlet. Power boxes, available online and in hardware stores for $30-$50, allow you to power your cameras through a single wall outlet. They come with multiple ports and are great for powering close-together cameras or cameras that aren't near an outlet, like attic cameras. However, you will need to run lengthy amounts of wire to attach each camera to the same box.

Always attach the cameras before hooking the box to electricity.

Make sure you buy a power supply box big enough to power each one of your cameras. They should list how many outlets they support on the box.

Attach each video cable to a separate DVR port. Your DVR can handle multiple cameras at once, allowing you to record every room in the house with only one box. Your monitor will then display every camera, or you will have to cycle through them using the "input" button on your DVR.

Hide your wires. To have a truly professional looking system you can run your cables through the walls and towards your surveillance hub. Be sure you know the layout of your walls and the location of any pipes, cables, or studs as you begin running wires. Running cables requires you to drill a hole in the wall, then thread the cable through the walls to your DVR through open spaces in your house, usually the attic.

If you are not comfortable drilling into your walls and running cables through, call a professional carpenter or handyman to take care of the cabling.

You can also secure cables to the walls or baseboards using a staple gun.

Consider hiding cables under rugs, but tape them down so that no one accidentally trips.

Alternatively, call home security specialists to set up a custom system. There are many home security companies that will install cameras, motion sensors, and automatic emergency calling for you, though they cost much more than a typical DIY installation. However, if you have a large house, are uncomfortable with wiring, or want extra features like motion-sensors and alarm systems, call a security firm near you.

ADT, LifeShield, Vivint, and SafeShield are larger, nationwide providers of home security systems.

Plug the camera into your router using an ethernet cable. Run the software that came with your camera to set a password for the camera, and to see the IP address your router has assigned it. Type this IP address into your web browser address bar, and log in to your camera settings to get it running on your WiFi network. You can now unplug the camera and move it anywhere within range of the router signal.

If you think someone has bugged your home or office with one, "sweeper" devices that sniff them out are available at some sites that sell spy cameras. As for the wearable cameras, it's hard to spot them if someone is recording you.

A battery backup keeps your surveillance system functioning in case of a power outage. It's a good idea if you're leaving the house unoccupied, if power outages are common in your area, or if you're protecting high-value items.

No. It's not a legal requirement, but it would be a good idea to have a sign, as it will help ward off intruders. Intruders will be less likely to break into a place they know has security, because they don't want to risk getting caught.

You can typically expect 150 feet (45 meters) indoors or 350 ft (100m) outdoors, but this varies greatly by camera model. These numbers go way down if the camera doesn't have a direct line of sight to the receiver, or if there are nearby wireless transmitters competing for the same wavelength.

There are kits available for DIY enthusiasts that include everything you'll need. Check hardware or electronics stores in your area. You are then limited only by your handiness with tools, ability to follow directions, and willingness to call customer support if you encounter a problem.

How can I set up external HCVision security cameras myself when the wire colors don't match up? Each white cable has 8 thin wires inside it, with some blue, brown, red, and black while others are white with a thin blue, orange or green stripe.

Reader Success Stories

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Martin Charles

Dec 11, 2016

"I have just received a system and am about to plot my cameras and select a base of operations. This general overview helped determine the order in which work needed to progress. The only criticism I might have is that POE cat5 systems are not covered."..." more

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Hameed Ali

Jun 18

"This was greatly helpful for me because it has cleared up all the things about which I was confused while installing a surveillance system in my home. Thank you so much and keep it up!"..." more

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Mohamed Abdelrahim

Aug 5

"The information provided by wikiHow is very useful and has helped me to understand the concept and ways to do almost everything. Big thank you to wikiHow founders and contributors!"..." more

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Robert Love

Feb 26

"Just taking the time to read this and see anyone could do it if you try. Thank you for sharing. It just might give you an edge against the bad guy or girl. "..." more

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Andy Mathis

Jun 14, 2016

"In general, these instructions were easy to read and follow. It answered a few questions I had doubts about, and made the process much simpler. Thanks."..." more

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Sulemana Mohammed

Jun 21

"I can also setup my own surveillance without any help now that I have gone through this wikiHow article. All I need is the materials to get going. "..." more

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Danny A.

May 4

"Pretty much everything, from the idea of where and how, really helped in making the whole surveillance setup so much more interesting."..." more

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Anonymous

Feb 21

"Just purchased cameras, waiting for warm weather to start. Ready to map out install locations, thanks for camera locations."..." more

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Sam Seward

Jul 29

"I've been procrastinating putting up my system. This helped me gain the confidence to install it in a flash! "

Rated this article:

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Anonymous

May 20

"I wanted to know the knowledge concerned with CCTV camera, and truly I gained it through this page. Thanks."

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Porbeni Daniel

May 11, 2016

"I really loved this article, though I will still need more guard lines because it's my first installation."

PN

Panga Nai

Jun 19, 2016

"It gave me a whole lot of ideas for installing a security system. I am impressed. Keep the standards high."

Kakili Jay

Aug 22

"I was having nothing to do with this CCTV camera, but I read this and I won't get rid of it. Thanks."

AL

Ampiire Lynet

Jun 17, 2016

"I have always wanted to know how CCTV cameras are installed. I'm glad I have an idea now."

PA

Peregrine Ali

Jul 16

"It helped me a lot, giving me the basics that I needed to start installation. Thanks."

TM

Thapelo Marana

Jul 1

"I am able to install and configure my surveillance cameras! Thank you a lot!"

SW

Samuel Wahinya

Jun 9

"It helped enlighten me on how to install CCTV. Now it's just about practice."

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Anonymous

May 17

"How to install security cameras and which equipment to buy was helpful. "

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Emeka Ugwu

May 27

"I was able to answer questions about CCTV installation in a job test. "

Rated this article:

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Sudipta Roy

Jul 9

"This article gave so much knowledge on CCTV camera setup. Thank you."